Engine-starting spark-producing apparatus.



G. W. WAGKER.

ENGINE sTARTING SPARK PRODUCING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NGV.18,1908.

1,083,965. Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

witnesses 1 u c 1 1 ['0 n myc/rr/ G. W. WAOKER.

ENGINE STARTING SPARK PRODUGlNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1908.' I

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

G. W. WAGKER. ENGINE STARTING SPARK PRODUCING APPARATUS. APPLICATION I'ILED NOV. 18, 1908.

1,083,965. Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

3 SHEET S-SHBET 3.

L 5 mm mfoz ivi Ewes ac-o W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. WACKEB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO 3'. S. BRETZ COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ENGINE-STARTING SPARK-PRODUCING APPARATUS Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJ an. 13, 1914.

Application filed Iglovember 18, 1908. Serial No. 463,154.

To all whom/ it may concern:

, Be it known that I, GEORGE W. VVAGKER,

a citizen of the United States, residing atv New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Starting Spark-Producing Apparatus, of which the following is a full. clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to electric spark producing apparatus in which the sparks may be produced by the action of a magneto or generator operating as such or by inductive effects produced in the winding of the armature of the magneto or generator by an external source of current, and the invention is particularly concerned with an apparatus in which the winding of the armature of a magneto may be employed also as an induction coil whose primary may, at starting, be energized by current from an outside source and with the means by which said external current may be cut into and out of circuit with the windings of the magneto armature.

The invention is designed as an improvement in certain features of construction upon the apparatus disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 447,772, filed August 10, 1908.

It is essential to the successful operation of the apparatus that the external current shall cease to operate through the armature windings at the instant that the mechanism, for example, an internalcombustion motor, with which the magneto or generator is connected, is set in operation, whereby the operation of said mechanism through said magneto may be continued without interru tion.

To this end, my invention in its pro erred form contemplates an improved form of switch located in the circuit of the source of external current through which said current may be caused to flow for a brief period intermittently through the primary winding,

of the magneto, which switch is so arranged that said external circuit will be broken automatically as soon as the mechanism operated from said magneto is set in operation, whereby the continuation of the operation of said mechanism will be effected from the magneto.

\Vhile the invention hereinafter described may be applied to a variety of uses, it is here shown primarily as an apparatus to be used in connection with an internal combustion motor, and such an arrangement of the magneto apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a sectional view of the improved switch embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the necessary circuits including the switch in conjunction with the armature of a high tension magneto. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of parts shown in Fi l, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views 0 certain parts.

F ora clear understanding of the invention, as shownvin the embodiment herein selected for illustration, the general arrangement of the circuits and operative elements therein which are employed in conjunction with the magneto armature will first be do scribed.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, 1 indicates the armature of a high tension magneto of any Well-known construction, and comprising also the usual field magnets (not shown). The said armature has thereon the primary winding 2 which may be grounded as at 3 in any well-known manner, and the secondary winding 4 which may be led out through a connection 5, through any well- 4 known form of distributer, if desired, to the spark plugs, one of which is indicated at 6, of an internal combustion motor. The primary winding of the armature is led out through a connection 7 to what may be termed a switch arm 8 pivoted at 9 and forming part of the switch mechanism 10. Said switch mechanism furthermore comprises a contact point 11 mounted in a housing 12, which point may if desired be of yielding form controlled by a spring (not shown), to afford a slightly yielding contact with arm 8 and with'whioh the switch arm 8 normally contacts, and a second contact point 13 mounted in a housing 14, and suitable means hereinafter to be described are provided for causing said switch arm 8 to be disengaged from the contact 11 and intermittently connected with the contact point 13.. From the contact point 11,;a circuit connection 15 leads through brush 16 and a slip ring 18 mounted upon the shaft of the armature, connection 19, to the insulated contact 20 of an interrupter 21. Said interrupter is moreover provided with a movable grounded contact member 22 arranged to be operated in any well-known manner to make and break the main circuit external source through the primary winding of the magneto the contact point 13 of the switch 10 is connected, by means of a lead 25 through brush 26 and a slip ring 27,

mounted upon the shaft of the magneto armature, and through the connection 28, with one segment 29 of a suitable commutator or polarity reverser. To' the same commutator segment 29 one pole of a battery-30 or other source of external current is connected by means of a lead 31 and brush 32. The opposite pole of the battery is grounded through the lead 33 brush 34 and a second segment 35 of the commutator and the ground connection 36. It is to be understood that as the commutator rotates the direction of flow of current from battery 30 through the armature winding will be periodically reversed whereby the polarity of the armature will be correspondingly periodically changed, so that the battery current when flowing always tends to magnetize the field magnet. This arrangement is necessitated in order that the polarity of the armature will not have a tendency to demagnetize the adjacent field magnets when the battery current passes through it. To increase the capacity of the external or auxiliary circuit a condenser 37 may be introduced across the contact points 8 and 13.

Referring now to the specific details of the improved switch whereby the necessary intermittent current from the external source of electricity may be introduced through the armature windings of the magneto. The same consists of a suitable box or housing 38, Fig. 1, upon the interior wall of which the switch arm 8'before referred to is directly pivoted as at 9. The connection thereto of circuit wire 7 is efiected through bind ing screw 7, on the rear of said box, while the circuit wires 15 and 25 are led into said box through binding screws 15 and 25 respectively. In order to cause the switch to intermittently engage the contact point 13 of the battery or external circuit to make and break said circuit, said arm is provided with an extension 39 having a wedge like part 40, which when the'arm is in normal position in contact with the contact point 11 of the magneto circuit, engages annular shoulder 41 upon a sleeve 42, which is slidably mounted upon a push button or rod 43. Said sleeve is normally locked on said push button by means of a latch 44 pivoted to said push button at 45 in a recess 45 therein.

In the normal position of the sleeve 42 upon the push button 43, said sleeve is locked thereto by the tongue 46 upon one end of said latch which engages the bottom of an annular recess 47 in the outer end of said sleeve, and by means of a laterally projecting heel 48 which engages upon the bottom of an annular recess 49 at the opposite extremity of said sleeve.

The push button 43 is slidably mounted in an aperture 50 in the front plate 51 of the housing or box 38, and at its rear end in a socket 52 of a tubular screw plug 53 secured within a suitable screw threaded aperture 54 in the rear of said box. A spring 55 which engages the rear end of the sleeve 42 and is seated at its opposite end upon the plug 53 serves to hold said sleeve 42 normally against the front face of the box 38, and, through the locking connection between said sleeve and the push button 43 also holds said push button extended, as shown in Fig. 1. To maintain the latch 44 in yielding locking engagement with the sleeve 42, the heel of said latch is engaged by a sliding member 56 seated within a tubular portion 57 at the rear end of the push button or rod 43, which sliding member is constantly pressed against the heel of the latch 44 by means of a spring 58. The switch box is provided with a removable side plate 38 to afiord access to the switch mechanism therein.

With the parts, in the position indicated in Fig. 1, the switch arm 8 is held against the tension of a spring 59 in contact with the contact point 11 in the magneto circuit by the engagement of the extension 39 of said arm by the shoulder 41 of the sleeve 42. When the extension 39 of the switch arm is released from the shoulder 41 of the sleeve 42, upon pressing in the push button 43, the spring 59 will cause the switch arm to contact with the contact point 13 in the battery or external circuit.

To efi ect the production of'a succession of sparks and thereby to insure the ignition function, it is essential that the battery circuit be made and rapidly broken intermittently several successive times. To this end the sleeve 42 is provided with a series of annular ridges 42' which are arranged to engage successively the oflset 40 of the switch arm extension 39 as the sleeve is pushed inward by the push b1 tton 43. In this way the extension 40 will :be caused to riseover the beveled faces of'the ribs 42 whereby the contact point on the switch arm will be intermittently moved away from the contact point 13 against the tension of the spring 59. When the offset 40 of the switch arm extension engages the shoulder 41 of sleeve 42 it lies slightly above the series of ribs 42' so that when released therefrom and while the arm is being actuated by said ribs,

otherwise.

the switch arm 8. will not contact with the contact point 11. It is furthermore essential to the successful operation of the device that as soon as the magneto windings are sutficiently excited to cause the operation of the mechanism with which the magneto is connected by producing sparking within the engine cylinder that the normal magneto circuit be immediately restored. To this end, the heel of the latch 44 is provided with a beveled face 60, which, when the push button and sleeve are moved to their innermost position, engages the edge 61 of the tubular extension of the lug 53 whereby said latch is caused to roc upon its pivot sufficiently to release its tongue 46 from engagement with 'the forward end of the sleeve 42. Thereupon the sleeve will be immediately returned by its spring 56 to its normal position against the front plate 51 of the box or housing 38, in which position, the switch arm 8 will again be forced against the contact point 11 of the magneto circuit by reengagement of the annular shoulder 41 of said sleeve 42 with the extension 39 of said arm. During the return movement of the sleeve, as described, the switch arm will be caused to perform a second series of vibrations to effect further intermittent contact with the contact point 13 whereby the ex ternal circuit will be made and broken a suflicient number of times to insure starting of the mechanism.

By the construction above described, it will be seen that restoration of the magneto circuit. willtake place automatically without regard to whether the push button 43 is immediately released by the operator or Hence, the operation of the motor or other mechanism with which the magneto is connected will be continued uninterruptedly from the magneto, and furthcrmore, inasmuch as the battery circuit is immediately broken upon return of the sleeve 42 to its normal position, all danger of exhausting the battery or other source of external current by reason of maintaining the same in circuit will be avloided. In addition to mounting the switch mechanism within the box or housing 38, the condenser 37, indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 2, may also be conveniently and compactly housed therein, within the recess 62.

While I have herein described a particular embodiment of my. invention, it is to be understood the same may be altered in details and relative arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

What I claim is: t

1. An engine starting electric spark producing apparatus comprising an induction coil, means for producing a magnetic field within which said coil may rotate, a main circuit for said coil, an external source of,

current to excite the primary winding of said coil, andmeans to break said main circuit and automatically ,connect said external source intermittently with said coil.

2. .An engine starting electric spark pro- .ducing apparatus 'comprising a generator,

an armature therefor, primary and secondary windings on said armature, a main circuit for said generator, an external source of electricity adapted to be connected with the primary winding of said armature, and

means to break said main circuit and auto-' matically connect said external source inter- 'mittently with said primary winding.

3. An engine starting electric spark producing apparatus comprising a generator, a rotating armature therefor primary and secondary windings on said armature, a main circuit for said armature an external source of current adapted to be connected with said primary winding, 3, commutating device in circuit with said external source to prevent the current from said external source from tending to demagrietize the field magnet of said armature when I the winding thereof is traversed by said external current, and means to break said main circuit and connect said external source intermittently with said primary winding.

4. An engine starting electric spark producing apparatus comprising a generator, an armature therefor, a main circuit for said armature, an external source of current, means to break said main circuit and to connect said external source intermittently with the windings of said armature, and means to prevent the current from said external source from tending to demagnetize the field magnet of said armature when the winding thereof is traversed by said external current.

5. An engine starting electric spark producing apparatus comprising a generator, an armature therefor, a main circuit for said armature, an interrupter in said main circuit, an external source of current, and means tocut out said interrupter and to connect said external source intermittently with saidarmature.

6. An engine starting electric spark producing apparatus comprising a generator, an armature therefor, a main circuit, an interrupter in said main circuit, an external source of current, and means to cut out said interrupter and to connect said external source of current intermittently with said armature and immediately thereafter to cut out said external source and restore said interrupter in said main circuit.

7 An engine starting electric spark producing apparatus comprising a generator, an armature therefor, a main circuit for said armature, an external source of currentadapted to be connected with the winding of said armature, and means for breaking I said main circuit and automatically connecting said external source intermittently with said armature and to automatically thereafter break said connection.

8. An engine starting electric spark producing apparatus comprising means for producing a magnetic field an induction coil located therein, one of said parts being rotatable, a main circuit 'for said coil, an external source of current and means to break said main circuit and to-automatically connect said external source intermittently with said coil.

9. An engine starting electric spark producing apparatus comprising a generator, an armature therefor, a main clrcuit'for said armature, an interrupter in said main circuit, an external source of current, means to cut out said interrupter and connect said external source intermittently with said armature and a commut-ating device in circuit with said external source to prevent the cur rent from said external source from tending to demagnetize the field magnet of said armature when the winding thereof is traversed by said external current.

i 10. An engine starting electric spark producing apparatus comprising a generator, an armature therefor 'a main circuit for said armature, an external source of current and a switch comprising a contact point in said main circuit, a contact point in circuit with said source, a switch arm arranged normally in contact with said first contact point and means operably connected with said arm to release the same from said first contact point; to cause said arm to contact intermittently with said second contact point.-

11. An engine starting electric spark producing apparatus comprising a generator, an armature therefor, a main circuit for said armature, an external source of current and a switch comprising a contact point in said main circuit, a contact point in circuit with said source, a switch arm arranged normally in contact -with said first contact point, means operably connected with said arm to release the same from said first contactpoint to cause said arm to contact intermittently with said second contact point, and thereafter. to permit said arm to return to contact with said first named contact point.

12. An engine-starting electric sparkproducing apparatus comprising a magneto having an armature provided with a primar winding and a secondary winding, in com ination with an interrupter controlling the current normally induced in said primarywinding, an external source of current for energizing said primary windin when said magneto is at rest, the circuit t rough said primary winding and external source being independent of said interrupter, means for controlling the current flowing from said external source through said vprimary Winding so as to cause it to induce a spark-producing current in said secondary winding, and a commutator directing said external source current so as to prevent it from demagnetizing the permanent field magnet of the magneto.

GEORGE W. WACKER.

Witnesses:

R. C. POWELL, CHAS. A. PEARD. 

